Apparatus and method for non-destructive inspection of variable angle manufacturing components

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a non-destructive inspection apparatus that utilizes a biased probe housing to maintain ultrasonic coupling with a part. The apparatus includes an attachment body attached to a robotic arm that has a tool center point (TCP). The apparatus also includes a probe assembly coupled to the attachment body such that movement of the TCP results in a corresponding movement of the probe assembly, and a probe housing disposed around the probe assembly and moveably coupled to the attachment body. The apparatus also includes a biasing member disposed between the attachment body and the probe housing that urges the probe housing away from the attachment body. Also disclosed is a method that includes positioning a probe housing and a probe assembly adjacent a part, ultrasonically scanning the part for defects, and biasing the probe housing relative to the attachment body to maintain engagement of the part.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A non-destructive inspection (NDI) apparatus comprising:
 an attachment body configured to attach to a robotic arm, where the robotic arm defines a tool center point (TCP); 
 an ultrasonic probe assembly fixedly coupled to the attachment body such that the ultrasonic probe assembly is non-moveably fixed relative to the TCP of the robotic arm and movement of the TCP by the robotic arm results in a corresponding movement of the ultrasonic probe assembly; 
 a probe housing disposed around the ultrasonic probe assembly and moveably coupled to the attachment body such that the ultrasonic probe housing is moveable relative to the ultrasonic probe assembly; and 
 a biasing member disposed between the attachment body and the probe housing, where the biasing member urges the probe housing away from the attachment body. 
 
     
     
       2. The NDI apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a first housing rod slidably coupled with an opening in the probe housing, wherein the biasing member is disposed between the opening of the probe housing and the attachment body and the first housing rod comprises:
 a first end coupled to the attachment body; and 
 a second end having a diameter greater than a diameter of the opening of the probe housing. 
 
     
     
       3. The NDI apparatus of  claim 2 , where the biasing member comprises a compression spring positioned around the first housing rod. 
     
     
       4. The NDI apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising a second housing rod slidably coupled with a second opening in the probe housing, wherein a second biasing member is disposed between the second opening of the probe housing and the attachment body and the second housing rod comprises:
 a first end coupled to the attachment body; and 
 a second end having a diameter greater than a diameter of the second opening of the probe housing. 
 
     
     
       5. The NDI apparatus of  claim 4  where the second biasing member comprises a second compression spring positioned around the second housing rod. 
     
     
       6. The NDI apparatus of  claim 1 , where the attachment body comprises:
 an attachment plate; and 
 an overload protection device disposed between the attachment plate and the robotic arm. 
 
     
     
       7. The NDI apparatus of  claim 1 , where the probe housing comprises:
 a body having:
 a part engagement surface configured to engage a surface of a part and facing away from the attachment body; 
 an end surface facing the attachment body; and 
 a sensor cavity formed in the body and configured to receive the ultrasonic probe assembly and to allow the ultrasonic probe assembly to translationally move within the sensor cavity, where the sensor cavity extends entirely through the body from the end surface to the part engagement surface. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The NDI apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein an entire length of the sensor cavity, between the part engagement surface and the end surface is between about 1 inch and about 5 inches. 
     
     
       9. The NDI apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a water channel formed in the body and extending from a first opening in the end surface of the body to a second opening formed in a wall of the sensor cavity, the second opening positioned adjacent an opening in the part engagement surface of the body. 
     
     
       10. The NDI apparatus of  claim 7 , where the part comprises a wing spar having a varying radius and a varying web to flange angle, and where a size and a shape of the probe housing is selected according to a maximum radius of the wing spar and a minimum web to flange angle of the wing spar. 
     
     
       11. The NDI apparatus of  claim 1 , where the ultrasonic probe assembly comprises:
 an ultrasonic sensor array; and 
 at least one sensor rod having a first end rigidly coupled to the attachment body and a second end rigidly coupled to the ultrasonic sensor array, the at least one sensor rod configured to maintain a fixed position of the ultrasonic sensor array with reference to the attachment body. 
 
     
     
       12. A system for non-destructively inspecting a part, the system comprising:
 a robotic arm; 
 a controller configured to control movement of a tool center point (TCP) of the robotic arm; and 
 a non-destructive inspection (NDI) apparatus coupled to the TCP, the NDI apparatus comprising:
 an attachment body configured to attach to a robotic arm, where the robotic arm defines the TCP; 
 an ultrasonic probe assembly fixedly coupled to the attachment body such that the ultrasonic probe assembly is non-moveably fixed relative to the TCP of the robotic arm and movement of the TCP by the robotic arm results in a corresponding movement of the ultrasonic probe assembly; 
 a probe housing disposed around the ultrasonic probe assembly and moveably coupled to the attachment body such that the ultrasonic probe housing is moveable relative to the ultrasonic probe assembly; and 
 a biasing member disposed between the attachment body and the probe housing, where the biasing member urges the probe housing away from the attachment body. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a first housing rod slidably coupled with an opening in the probe housing, wherein the biasing member is disposed between the opening of the probe housing and the attachment body and the first housing rod comprises:
 a first end coupled to the attachment body; and 
 a second end having a diameter greater than a diameter of the opening of the probe housing. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , where the biasing member comprises a compression spring positioned around the first housing rod. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 12 , where the ultrasonic probe assembly comprises:
 an ultrasonic sensor array; and 
 at least one sensor rod having a first end rigidly coupled to the attachment body and a second end rigidly coupled to the ultrasonic sensor array, the at least one sensor rod configured to maintain a fixed position of the ultrasonic sensor array with reference to the attachment body. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 12 , where the probe housing comprises:
 a body having:
 a part engagement surface configured to engage a surface of a part and facing away from the attachment body; 
 an end surface facing the attachment body; and 
 a sensor cavity formed in the body and configured to receive the ultrasonic probe assembly and to allow the ultrasonic probe assembly to translationally move within the sensor cavity, where the sensor cavity extends entirely through the body from the end surface to the part engagement surface. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a water channel formed in the body and extending from a first opening in the end surface of the body to a second opening formed in a wall of the sensor cavity, the second opening positioned adjacent an opening in the part engagement surface of the body. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 12 , where the controller comprises a laser profiler configured to measure a distance between the TCP and an inspection radius, and where the controller is further configured to move the TCP in response to the measured distance. 
     
     
       19. A method of non-destructively inspecting a part, the method comprising:
 positioning a probe housing and an ultrasonic probe assembly such that a moveable part engagement surface of the probe housing engages the part, wherein the ultrasonic probe assembly is fixedly coupled to an attachment body and the probe housing is moveably coupled to the attachment body; 
 ultrasonically scanning the part for defects while traversing the part engagement surface across a surface of the part; 
 moving the biasing probe relative to the probe housing; 
 adjusting a distance between the ultrasonic probe assembly and the surface of the part while traversing and scanning the part; and 
 biasing the probe housing relative to the attachment body to maintain engagement of the part engagement surface with the surface of the part. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , where engaging the surface of the part comprises pressing the part engagement surface against the surface of the part.